the great controversy-第49节

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look　for　salvation　solely　from　the　free　grace　of　God。〃

〃I　will　have　none　of　your　new　doctrines；〃　exclaimed　Calvin；　〃think　you　that
I　have　lived　in　error　all　my　days？〃　Wylie；　b。　13；　ch。　7。

But　thoughts　had　been　awakened　in　his　mind　which　he　could　not　banish　at
will。　Alone　in　his　chamber　he　pondered　upon　his　cousin's　words。　Conviction
of　sin　fastened　upon　him；　he　saw　himself；　without　an　intercessor；　in　the
presence　of　a　holy　and　just　Judge。　The　mediation　of　saints；　good　works；　the
ceremonies　of　the　church；　all　were　powerless　to　atone　for　sin。　He　could　see
before　him　nothing　but　the　blackness　of　eternal　despair。　In　vain　the　doctors
of　the　church　endeavored　to　relieve　his　woe。　Confession；　penance；　were
resorted　to　in　vain；　they　could　not　reconcile　the　soul　with　God。

While　still　engaged　in　these　fruitless　struggles；　Calvin；　chancing　one　day
to　visit　one　of　the　public　squares；　witnessed　there　the　burning　of　a
heretic。　He　was　filled　with　wonder　at　the　expression　of　peace　which　rested
upon　the　martyr's　countenance。　Amid　the　tortures　of　that　dreadful　death；　and
under　the　more　terrible　condemnation　of　the　church；　he

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manifested　a　faith　and　courage　which　the　young　student　painfully　contrasted
with　his　own　despair　and　darkness；　while　living　in　strictest　obedience　to
the　church。　Upon　the　Bible；　he　knew；　the　heretics　rested　their　faith。　He
determined　to　study　it；　and　discover；　if　he　could；　the　secret　of　their　joy。

In　the　Bible　he　found　Christ。　〃O　Father；〃　he　cried；　〃His　sacrifice　has
appeased　Thy　wrath；　His　blood　has　washed　away　my　impurities；　His　cross　has
borne　my　curse；　His　death　has　atoned　for　me。　We　had　devised　for　ourselves
many　useless　follies；　but　Thou　hast　placed　Thy　word　before　me　like　a　torch；
and　Thou　hast　touched　my　heart；　in　order　that　I　may　hold　in　abomination　all
other　merits　save　those　of　Jesus。〃　Martyn；　vol。　3；　ch。　13。

Calvin　had　been　educated　for　the　priesthood。　When　only　twelve　years　of　age
he　had　been　appointed　to　the　chaplaincy　of　a　small　church；　and　his　head　had
been　shorn　by　the　bishop　in　accordance　with　the　canon　of　the　church。　He　did
not　receive　consecration；　nor　did　he　fulfill　the　duties　of　a　priest；　but　he
became　a　member　of　the　clergy；　holding　the　title　of　his　office；　and
receiving　an　allowance　in　consideration　thereof。

Now；　feeling　that　he　could　never　become　a　priest；　he　turned　for　a　time　to
the　study　of　law；　but　finally　abandoned　this　purpose　and　determined　to
devote　his　life　to　the　gospel。　But　he　hesitated　to　become　a　public　teacher。
He　was　naturally　timid；　and　was　burdened　with　a　sense　of　the　weighty
responsibility　of　the　position；　and　he　desired　still　to　devote　himself　to
study。　The　earnest　entreaties　of　his　friends；　however；　at　last　won　his
consent。　〃Wonderful　it　is；〃　he　said；　〃that　one　of　so　lowly　an　origin　should
be　exalted　to　so　great　a　dignity。〃Wylie；　b。　13；　ch。　9。

Quietly　did　Calvin　enter　upon　his　work；　and　his　words　were　as　the　dew
falling　to　refresh　the　earth。　He　had　left　Paris；　and　was　now　in　a　provincial
town　under　the　protection　of　the　princess　Margaret；　who；　loving　the　gospel；
extended　her　protection　to　its　disciples。　Calvin　was　still　a　youth；　of

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gentle；　unpretentious　bearing。　His　work　began　with　the　people　at　their
homes。　Surrounded　by　the　members　of　the　household；　he　read　the　Bible　and
opened　the　truths　of　salvation。　Those　who　heard　the　message　carried　the　good
news　to　others；　and　soon　the　teacher　passed　beyond　the　city　to　the　outlying
towns　and　hamlets。　To　both　the　castle　and　the　cabin　he　found　entrance；　and
he　went　forward；　laying　the　foundation　of　churches　that　were　to　yield
fearless　witnesses　for　the　truth。

A　few　months　and　he　was　again　in　Paris。　There　was　unwonted　agitation　in　the
circle　of　learned　men　and　scholars。　The　study　of　the　ancient　languages　had
led　men　to　the　Bible；　and　many　whose　hearts　were　untouched　by　its　truths
were　eagerly　discussing　them　and　even　giving　battle　to　the　champions　of
Romanism。　Calvin；　though　an　able　combatant　in　the　fields　of　theological
controversy；　had　a　higher　mission　to　accomplish　than　that　of　these　noisy
schoolmen。　The　minds　of　men　were　stirred；　and　now　was　the　time　to　open　to
them　the　truth。　While　the　halls　of　the　universities　were　filled　with　the
clamor　of　theological　disputation；　Calvin　was　making　his　way　from　house　to
house；　opening　the　Bible　to　the　people；　and　speaking　to　them　of　Christ　and
Him　crucified。

In　God's　providence；　Paris　was　to　receive　another　invitation　to　accept　the
gospel。　The　call　of　Lefevre　and　Farel　had　been　rejected；　but　again　the
message　was　to　be　heard　by　all　classes　in　that　great　capital。　The　king；
influenced　by　political　considerations；　had　not　yet　fully　sided　with　Rome
against　the　Reformation。　Margaret　still　clung　to　the　hope　that　Protestantism
was　to　triumph　in　France。　She　resolved　that　the　reformed　faith　should　be
preached　in　Paris。　During　the　absence　of　the　king；　she　ordered　a　Protestant
minister　to　preach　in　the　churches　of　the　city。　This　being　forbidden　by　the
papal　dignitaries；　the　princess　threw　open　the　palace。　An　apartment　was
fitted　up　as　a　chapel；　and　it　was　announced　that　every　day；　at　a　specified
hour；　a　sermon　would　be　preached；　and　the　people　of　every　rank　and　station
were　invited　to　attend。

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Crowds　flocked　to　the　service。　Not　only　the　chapel；　but　the　antechambers　and
halls　were　thronged。　Thousands　every　day　assemblednobles；　statesmen；
lawyers；　merchants；　and　artisans。　The　king；　instead　of　forbidding　the
assemblies；　ordered　that　two　of　the　churches　of　Paris　should　be　opened。
Never　before　had　the　city　been　so　moved　by　the　word　of　God。　The　spirit　of
life　from　heaven　seemed　to　be　breathed　upon　the　people。　Temperance；　purity；
order；　and　industry　were　taking　the　place　of　drunkenness；　licentiousness；
strife；　and　idleness。

But　the　hierarchy　were　not　idle。　The　king　still　refused　to　interfere　to　stop
the　preaching；　and　they　turned　to　the　populace。　No　means　were　spared　to
excite　the　fears；　the　prejudices；　and　the　fanaticism　of　the　ignorant　and
superstitious　multitude。　Yielding　blindly　to　her　false　teachers；　Paris；　like
Jerusalem　of　old；　knew　not　the　time　of　her　visitation　nor　the　things　which
belonged　unto　her　peace。　For　two　years　the　word　of　God　was　preached　in　the
capital；　but；　while　there　were　many　who　accepted　the　gospel；　the　majority　of
the　people　rejected　it。　Francis　had　made　a　show　of　toleration；　merely　to
serve　his　own　purposes；　and　the　papists　succeeded　in　regaining　the
ascendancy。　Again　the　churches　were　closed；　and　the　stake　was　set　up。

Calvin　was　still　in　Paris；　preparing　himself　by　study；　meditation；　and
prayer　for　his　future　labors；　and　continuing　to　spread　the　light。　At　last；
however；　suspicion　fastened　upon　him。　The　authorities　determined　to　bring
him　to　the　flames。　Regarding　himself　as　secure　in　his　seclusion；　he　had　no
thought　of　danger；　when　friends　came　hurrying　to　his　room　with　the　news　that
officers　were　on　their　way　to　arrest　him。　At　that　instant　a　loud　knocking
was　heard　at　the　outer　entrance。　There　was　not　a　moment　to　be　lost。　Some　of
his　friends　detained　the　officers　at　the　door；　while　others　assisted　the
Reformer　to　let　himself　down　from　a　window；　and　he　rapidly　made　his　way　to
the　outskirts　of　the　city。　Finding　shelter　in　the　cottage　of　a　laborer　who
was　a　friend　to　the　reform；　he　disguised　himself　in　the　garments　of　his
host；　and；

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shouldering　a　hoe；　started　on　his　journey。　Traveling　southward；　he　again
found　refuge　in　the　dominions　of　Margaret。　（See　D'Aubigne；　History　of　the
Reformation　in　Europe　in　the　Time　of　Calvin；　b。　2；　ch。　30。）

Here　for　a　few　months　he　remained；　safe　under　the　protection　of　powerful
friends；　and　engaged　as　before　in　study。　But　his　heart　was　set　upon　the
evangelization　of　France；　and　he　could　not　long　remain　inactive。　As　soon　as
the　storm　had　somewhat　abated；　he　sought　a　new　field　of　labor　in　Poitiers；
where　was　a　university；　and　where　already　the　new　opinions　had　found　favor。
Persons　of　all　classes　gladly　listened　to　the　gospel。　There　was　no　public
preaching；　but　in　the　home　of　the　chief　magistrate；　in　his　own　lodgings；　and
sometimes　in　a　public　garden；　Calvin　opened　the　words　of　eternal　life　to
those　who　desired　to　listen。　After　a　time；　as　the　number　of　hearers
increased；　it　was　thought　safer　to　assemble　outside　the　city。　A　cave　in　the
side　of　a　deep　and　narrow　gorge；　where　trees　and　overhanging　rocks　made　the
seclusion　still　more　complete；　was　chosen　as　the　place　of　meeting。　Little
companies；　leaving　the　city　by　different　routes；　found　their　way　hither。　In
this　retired　spot　the　Bible　was　read　aloud　and　explained。　Here　the　Lord's
Supper　was　celebrated　for　the　first　time　by　the　Protestants　of　France。　From
this　little　church　several　faithful　evangelists　were　sent　out。

Once　more　Calvin　returned　to　Paris。　He　could　not　even　yet　relinquish　the
hope　that　France　as　a　nation　would　accept　the　Reformation。　But　he　found
almost　every　door　of　labor　closed。　To　teach　the　gospel　was　to　take　the
direct　road　to　the　stake；　and　he　at　last　determined　to　depart　to　Germany。
Scarcely　h